Letters to You
by BlutBinden
Summary: When Retsuko is sent to another part of her company, she is given the chance to re-evaluate herself and the people around her. Will it be for the better, or will the karaoke speakers suffer a terrible death?
1. Sent to Hell

*Has spoilers from Season 2*

Chapter One: Sent to Hell

Retsuko tapped away at her keyboard one key at a time. She yawned until her jaw cracked and then quickly shook her head. Last night had been another battle with her mother. A battle that Retsuko had no weapons for, and was therefore losing. The battle cries, aka conversation, they mulled over had lasted for a good hour and a half, even stretching into Retsuko's sleeping hours through confusing dreams and dark nightmares. Suffice to say, the woman was utterly exhausted. Her eyes felt like they would stick completely shut of they closed, and her brain was filled with fluff and fog.

"Psst! Retsuko. Hey!"

"W-what?!" Retsuko's ears perked up. From the corner of her eye, she saw Anai raise his brown eyebrows at her.

"Boss was calling yo—" The young man tried to finish sentence before a blasting bellow almost blew the whole department away. He sighed and went back to work.

"Calendar, get your person over here ASAP! I have a talk to conduct with ya!" Ton yelled out from the front of the office.

"Right away, sir!" Retsuko gulped and tried to ignore the shifty glances being thrown at her from all sides of the computers. There would be no help from her coworkers. Fenneko sighed and continued her work, already used to the firework display known as Retsuko and Ton's morning conversations. Haida, on the other hand, gave Retsuko a timid thumbs up.

Retsuko's already cloudy mood brightened only a little. She'd take the thumbs up over whatever Ton was going to dish her. She apprehensively approached Ton's desk, and she thought about all the things that could have gone wrong that day. Retsuko had just caught Komiya scurrying away. The meerkat snickered when he caught sight of Retsuko, and she knew that she would not like what her boss was going to say.

Ton sat at his desk polishing a golf club so well that the metal's gleam nearly matched the power of a laser. The big man didn't look up to greet Retsuko. He just went straight into what it was he wanted to say.

"See, our building is a conglomeration of everything." He paused to put down his golf club and take a gulp of green tea. He drained the entire cup and slammed the container down on his desk. "Coffee shop. The little help stations. The head hanchoes…" Ton picked his golf club back up and resumed polishing the already shimmering item. "You know of the mailroom holed up in the basement, yeah?"

"Y-yes, sir!" Retsuko scrambled to confirm. She was trying to piece everything he was saying together. What in the world was he wanting her to do?

"The basement with no windows. No natural sunlight. Just cement and the miracle of cellphone WiFi bending a knee to its power." Ton couldn't help the creep smile that began to stretch from one side of his face to the other.

"Umm." Now she was getting an inkling of what he wanted. An unpleasant spark of uneasiness made her stomach go queasy.

"Got a call from the higher ups. Looks like the postmaster down there went—heh—postal. Thing is, Calendar, we want you to go down there ta hold the fort for a could week's 'til HR gets someone else to cover for ya."

"Well, I've never worked at a—"

"How hard can it be? Just throw some letters at the sorting tables and help the customers at the contract station."

"Wait, sorting?"

"Where else do you think our mail is organized and all that stuff?"

"I—"

Ton held up one finger, silencing the distraught Retsuko. He finally stared straight at her with all of the intensity of six CEOs commanding to cut the budget.

"You are very glad to accept this new position? Hell right you are. Don't forget what you put this company through after that tech kid mishap."

Retsuko briefly recalled when she and Tadano went golfing with Ton and the CEO. The CEO must have certainly known who she was after all of the fuss and guff on social media pertaining to Retsuko and Tadano's then relationship. Retsuko really didn't want to get into that again. She shook her head clear and saluted and tried to not mind the sweat pouring off of her in torrents.

"Mailroom employee ready for duty!"

Ton grunted and inclined his head.

"Now git outta here."

"Ton says get out. Out, out, out!" Komiya parroted after appearing out of nowhere. Retsuko didn't have to be told twice, or the three times the meerkat had provided. She shot out far away from the malignantly gleeful expression on Ton's pink face.

Retsuko later told her two friends, Fenneko and Haida, what had occurred during lunch break. She pitifully ate the homemade lunch her mother prepared for her the night before. Despite everything her mother had done to frazzle her nerves, Retsuko was glad that her mothers meals always brought some comfort. She needed that comfort after imagining being stuck in a mailroom dungeon for two weeks.

"I guess I get a break from sitting at the computer all day," Retsuko said. She shrugged and drank one of the iced coffees she bought from the break room vending machine. The caffeine infused drink did more to increase her heartbeat rather than perk her up. She knew she should have gotten an iced green tea.

"And I didn't even know there was a contract station down there anyway. Maybe this will be a nice, calm job for the next couple weeks."

"That's one positive way of looking at it," Haida added.

Fennako let out a harsh laugh and sadly shook her head.

"It's Hell. It's utter Hell down there. You don't understand, Haida, she won't have an internet connection! She'll shrivel into a husk and get swept into the garbage!" The fox's intonation rapidly became drenched with notes of terrified desperation.

Haida calmly patted Fenneko on the shoulder while Retsuko watched in entertained silence. Retsuko took a bite of her food and washed the savory bite down with sweet coffee. She then said "It's Hell for you, maybe, but I think I might like it. I'll just be sorting mail and helping the occasional customer until they find a replacement. What could go wr—

"Excuse me, are you listening?"

Retsuko blinked, suddenly brought back to the present. That was right. This was her fist day on the mailroom job. It wasn't much of a dungeon in design but…actually, scratch that. The two rooms composing of the mailroom and contract station must have been constructed at least half a century prior. The was no internet, a simple cash register, and the walls were all painted a dull cream. There were no windows to be seen, and the only company Retsuko had was herself, the sorting mail station, and the irate customer in front of her. Retsuko stared at the otter man dressed in a blue suit and black shoes. The customer held up a blank envelope, clearly expecting Retsuko to answer.

"I'm sorry. Please. Can you ask me that again?" The woman politely asked.

"I said, do I have to address the envelope on the outside if I already addressed the inside?" The otter's whiskers twitched in agitation.

Retsuko broke.

**_FAREWELL TO MY BRAIN_**

**_I HAVE KNOWN IT WELL_**

**_THIS JOB'S QUICK TO INFORM_**

**_THAT THIS IT LITERALLY HELL_**

**_PUT YOUR ADDRESS ON_**

**_PUT YOUR ADDRESS ON_**

**_WE DON'T HAVE X-RAY VISION_**

**_PUT YOUR ADDRESS ON _**

**_PUT YOUR ADDRESS ON_**

**_GIVE ME BACK MY IQ!_**

"Yes. Yes you do," the woman answered the otter customer calmly.


	2. Postage

Chapter Two: Postage

_How are things going in the dungeon?_

Retsuko blearily read the text bubble on her phone. She had just settled in-between the warming sheets of her bed when the phone buzzed its indicator that it had received a text. Retsuko knew that she would get the phone. Curiosity would always win out over sleep. Retsuko turned on her phone and discovered the awaiting message from Fenneko blearing up from the phone's glass screen. The red panda sighed and groaned at what was on the screen.

Her entire soul felt like it was being stretched like rubber. At some point, she was going to break. For now, the only answer she could give Fenneko was:

_Oh. You mean in the mailroom? Things are going…_

*Initiate flashback to the day before*

"Thank goodness. You have your package already prepared." Retsuko couldn't recall the many times customers would saunter up to the contract station's wooden table without anything prepared. They would bring their item to send and literally nothing else—no tape, no boxes, no labels, no addresses. One customer actually came up with a ball of naked wires clutched in one clawed hand.

Retsuko always had her packages ready whenever she had to send out a present to family members via the mail. She'd tape the box up and add a few decorations to make the package pretty. Never did she come in totally unprepared. Luckily, the contract station did provide boxes, just not any tape or labels. Tapeless customers were the encounters that Retsuko wouldn't mind forgetting.

"What was that?" The owl behind the counter hooted. She had pulled up two feathers on her head with a fuzzy pink hair tie, exposing two enormous green eyes. Her pupils dilated to encompass the entirety of her irises. The customer scooted her medium sized package closer to Retsuko.

"Nothing. Let's continue. Does your package contain anything—"

"No."

"Umm. Anything p—"

"No."

"You have to let me—"

"No."

"I have to ask—"

"No."

"Anything perishable, fragile, liquid, or hazardous!?"

"NO!"

The two women stared daggers at each other, and breathed hard as if they had been neck to neck in a foot race. The customer's feathers at last fell flat to her side, and Retsuko could feel her heart begin to correct its pace. Retsuko nodded and continued.

"Phew. Good. We can continue. Now how would you like to—"

"Excuse me, my package is fragile."

*Initiate the return to Retsuko in her bedroom*

_Things are fine._

Retsuko sent the text. It wasn't long before she got a speedy reply.

_Fine my butt. Tell me all the details as soon as you can. Things are getting boring up here without your sighs of gloom or joy._

Retsuko instantly replied.

_Sure thing._

The red panda put her phone face down on her nightstand. She was really going to need some sleep. Most of her customers were part of the company (therefore they had their shit together,) and she got the hang of sorting the mail pretty easily. The most difficult part was the customers who wanted to be babied. Retsuko grunted, turned over in her bed, and covered her face with the comforter. She wondered if she pretended that the customers were her future precious children, then maybe she could get by being in the mailroom just a little longer. And then she realized that she was becoming delusional and should really just go to bed.

The next morning arrived too quick. Before Retsuko knew it, she was already back behind the mailroom counter. She really wanted keep the window that opened up to the customers firmly shut. She could claim that her arms hurt too much and she just couldn't open the heavy metal slated door. Unfortunately, Ton would never let her hear the end of it. With a bitter cherry taste in her mouth, Retsuko opened the window.

Just her luck. There was already a customer waiting for her. She scrambled to inwardly compose herself.

"Hello, welcome to…oh. Haida! What brings you here?" Retsuko was so busy trying to calm herself for the day, she was late in realizing that her new customer was none other than Haida. He was wearing his usual work clothes and passive smile, but just that alone was enough to lift her spirits. The dungeon suddenly got a lot more friendly.

"Err, nothing in particular. I just…" Haida replied. He fished around in his pocket and pulled out a fully addressed envelope that just needed postage. "I have to send a letter."

"Really? Where to?"

"To myself."

"Why would you do that?"

"There's something exciting about waiting to get a letter in the mail. I'm tired of getting nothing but bills and advertisements in my mailbox." Haida chuckled softly and shrugged. He looked like he wanted to say something else, or to at least spill the real reason why he was there. Retsuko decided to go along with it.

"You're right! I remember when I was a kid, my dad and I would always race to get the mail. Now I know that he secretly let me win and bring it in." For some odd reason, it was difficult to keep eye contact with Haida. All she could do was watch the letter clutched in his hand. Although…the letter did give her an idea. "Hey, hear me out! How about you send that letter to me instead."

"You want me to what?" Haida's ever present kind smile faltered and his dark eyes grew wide.

"We'd be like pen pals, right?" Retsuko smiled.

"Uh, sure. I used to have one of those. She's the one who got me into a certain band. That band is my favorite of all time now. Come to think of it, I think she moved from England to live here around five years ago. I haven't heard from her since." Haida scratched his chin and seemed like he was warming up to the idea.

"That settles it." Retsuko scrawled on a piece of paper and then held it out to Haida. "Here, this is my address. When I get your letter, I'll write something back. This will be fun, right?"

Haida took the piece of paper and unintentionally touched Retsuko's fingers. Her chest briefly squeezed, but she brushed the sensation off as anticipation for a fun activity.

Haida grinned and replied.

"Sure does!"


	3. PEW

Chapter 3: PEW

"Yes."

Retsuko blinked. She was a little stunned, which was a common occurrence at the contract station counter. She cleared her throat and asked the question she didn't want to ask.

"Yes to the perishable, to the fragile, to the hazardous, or to the liquid?"

"Yes," the tall giraffe gentleman replied. He nodded as if to emphasize his 'yes.'

"To…which one?" Retsuko tried again.

"Liquid."

"…"

"What type…of liquid?"

"Five bottles of alcohol."

Retsuko could literally feel each and every blood cell in her body heat up to dangerous temperatures. She was lucky that her face was mostly an orange-red to begin with because if it wasn't, her flaring temper would have been on full display.

"I'm sorry. We can't ship alcohol here. It's considered hazardous."

The giraffe bit his lip.

"Can you please send it anyway?"

"No," Retsuko said. She explained as slowly as possible, "Sending alcohol is prohibited and could possibly put the plane the alcohol is loaded on in real danger."

The giraffe tsked and whisked his package off of the counter. He turned to leave, but decided to say once last jab.

"I should have lied."

Retsuko waited until the customer left before yanking out her microphone from her purse and lifting the item next to her lips. Her face transformed from serene customer service worker to a bat out of Hell.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU SHOULD HAVE LIED?!

DOES MAILROOM SAFETY MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?

WOULD YOU BE HAPPY IF SOMETHING BLEW UP?

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!

YOU'RE AN EGREGIOUS MISTAKE!

AAAAHHHH!

Retsuko just finished carefully replacing her microphone into her purse when she heard the rolling of distant thunder. She calculated through the sheer volume of said thunder that Ton was the cause of all the ruckus. There would be at least one minute to compose herself before the storm came. Sure enough, Ton burst through the door and immediately caught sight of her.

"Calendar, I want you to meet the new mailroom manager."

Ton stepped aside to reveal a small female skunk. She wore cute purple glasses, a white dress shirt, a purple vest, and a plaid purple skirt. The skunk's tail waved behind her apprehensively.

_Mailroom manager?_ Retsuko thought before recalling the conversation where she would have to train someone to permanently take the mailroom attendant's place.

"She's gonna be takin' your spot after you train her."

"So, she's going to be a manager?"

"Yeah. What's it to you?"

_Oh nothing. Just that I'll be training someone higher up on the chain than me only to get kicked back to the bottom rung of the ladder._

The red panda inwardly sighed. It was just her luck. For now, she would rejoice at the chance to be able to see sunlight again. It would be nice to eat lunch with Fenneko and Haida like they used to.

"This here is Penny Elaine Wagner. Penny, this is Cal-uh, I mean, Retsuko," Ton continued. He nudged the skunk a little closer to the counter.

"Pleasure to meet you." The skunk politely bowed and had to fix the glasses that slipped down her nose.

"Same here." Retsuko tried her best to sound genuine. It was hard to meet new employees and train them after the Anai incident. Retsuko buried the past experience deep within her mind. "So, do you have any questions before we begin?"

"No. I think most of this will be learning by experience."

The women said goodbye to Ton. The big man didn't waste any time in returning back to his lair upstairs. Penny shimmied around to meet Retsuko behind the counter in order to begin learning the secret to slinging mail.

"Great," Retsuko said to ground herself. "Sorry you have to be down here in the dungeon. That's what they call it here. It's been dismal without a window." She laughed a little to indicate that what she said was a joke.

Penny turned to face Retsuko. The expression on the skunk's face was as if she was possessed by a long dead ghost who suffered greatly before perishing. Retsuko gulped and took a few steps back.

"I've been through worse. I've had to work in a cellar." Penny's already haunted face turned even more ghoulish. "There were bugs crawling around and up my arms." She rubbed her hands along her arms, and Retsuko felt phantom tingles running down her own skin. "When it rained, the ceiling would leak, and because of the leaking ceiling, there would be yellow mold growing out of the very papers we were writing on. I was constantly in a state of being sick with snot running down my nose until the bugs cleaned the mess up. It was a harried, terrible, nasty place.

"Gee, I'm sorry," was all Retsuko could manage to say.

"It's fine. I got through it," Penny said. She shrugged. "That's what retail is like."

Retsuko let out a few nervous laughs before attempting to change the subject.

"Err, what do you do for fun?"

_Oh no._

Penny's head swiveled back to Retsuko with hawk-like precision.

"Nothing much. Fun is hard to achieve when there's nothing to work towards. Life is just a meaningless swirl of fleeting moments that end up disappearing in a blink of the eye. Unless you're rich or good at something, you end up being a memory that only friends and family can recall, until they also leave this world taking your memories with them, and it would be as if you never even existed on this planet. We were all put here on this earth by mistake, and there's no way to rectify our misuse the abuse of the universe. "

"W-wow." Retsuko gulped. The air around them was damp and cool, and she still felt like bugs were crawling all over her.

"I know," Penny said in a forlorn tenor.

"S-So, you're saying that it's better to live your life knowing that it's meaningless?"

"Eww, no. Don't be so dark. Jeeze, lighten up!"

Retsuko's insides snapped.

DON'T TELL ME TO LIGHTEN UP YOU BBBBB—


	4. Returned for Short Postage

Chapter Four: Returned for Short Postage

**Dear Retsuko,**

**Hey. This is Haida. I wasn't sure what to write. It's been a while since I've even wrote a letter, haha. Let's start with the weather. It's cold out right now. There might be snow later today. Make sure to wear your coat if it does. I can attest that staying out too long in the cold is a bad idea. **

**I don't want to end a letter with stuff just about the weather. How about I find a weird fact? Did you know that it's physically impossible to lick your elbow?! Wait…no, that can't be right. I'm sure someone out there can. Man, this fact turned out really lame. Do you have any better?**

**Your friend,**

**Haida**

**PS: Thanks for being my pen pal.**

Retsuko smiled. She had just finished reading the first letter Haida sent to her. As Retsuko and Haida had speculated, seeing a metallic blue envelope waiting for her in the mailbox last night gave her a much needed jolt of excitement. She felt like a kid again as she carefully opened the letter with her favorite pink bow letter opener. Actually, she felt more like a kid who ate three bowl of red bean ice cream and was ready to run circles around her apartment.

Haida had hand written his letter. The script was neat and tidy, which was a complete contrast to what Retsuko thought his writing would look like. She half imagined some chicken script a tired teenager would produce. Instead, the symbols were done in soft and solid strokes in what must have been a calligraphy pen. And Retsuko knew, absolutely knew, that the ink smudge on the corner was intentional. She had done the same move many times herself back in middle school when writing a confession letter. One couldn't let the recipient know that she spent too much time in making sure everything was just right. The red panda giggled thinking about Haida doing the same.

"Retsuko, why are you reading the same thing over and over and then giggling each time you're finished?" Gori asked from her usual seat. She sipped at her orange alcoholic beverage with a curious gleam to her eye.

"Oh! I'm not reading anything over and over," Retsuko insisted. She waved at the air and discretely folded the letter back into its blue envelope.

"Don't say that to a bird, Retsuko. I know what I've seen. My eyesight is impeccable," Washimi commented. She crossed her long, elegant legs as if Retsuko was going to spill the beans after that statement. Instead, Gori and Retsuko both stared at one another in confusion, most likely thinking the same thing—can Washimi really see that well considering her eyes are always closed?

Washimi kicked Gori on the leg. Gori almost jumped from her pink dress, but then understood what Washimi wanted. Now both older women were staring down Retsuko for more details. Retsuko groaned and wondered if it really was for the best that those two made up and were friends again.

It only took three seconds of combined intense staring to break Retsuko.

"Fine." Retsuko crossed her arms. "My work friend, Haida, and I are exchanging letters." She looked away from the both of them. She wasn't interested in what they thought. Not one bit. Retsuko and Haida were just sending letters for fun. Nothing more and nothing less.

"That's old school," Gori huffed.

"Hate-ah. The guy who helped us out with Tadano?" Washimi said, going for the kill.

"The cute one?" Gori added.

"Cute? Haida? NO!" Retsuko coughed and took a drink of her beverage before answering. "But yeah, that's the one. I'm working the mailroom until Penny is able to sufficiently take over. Haida and I thought it would be fun to send letters to each other to have something other than bills greet us for once."

"Hmm," Washimi hummed in her 'I see' tone.

"Washimi, don't you 'hmn,' me. This is for fun. That's all." Retsuko pointed at her friend as if she were trying to fend off unwanted thoughts. "I'm taking it slow right now. I've rushed into a lot of relationships the last year, and although they were fun and great learning experiences, I don't want to jump right in again. So right now, all I have time for are friends. Just. Friends."

"I get it, honey," Gori said. "We'll be nice."

"Yes. You go your own pace." Washimi nodded.

"Thanks, guys." Retsuko was happy that her friends didn't push any further. She just wanted to relax from a hard day at work with no strings attached.

"So how about it? Gonna rock it out? What's bugging you today?" Gori said. She gave Retsuko the karaoke microphone and the ordering pad already set to her favorite song. The red panda took the microphone and got into position. There was the thrum of a soothing metal background music seeping into her essence, and she was ready.

THE CONTRACT STATION CAN ONLY USE CASH AND CHECKS ONLY!

THERE ARE, LIKE, SEVEN SIGNS HANGING AT YOUR FACE!

DEBIT CARD? NO!

CREDIT CARD? NO!

ANY CARD? NO!

…BIRTHDAY CARDS? YEEESSS!

CASH AND CHECKS! CASH AND CHECKS! IT'S ARCHAIC BUT MONEY IS MONEY!

AAAAHhhHHH!

"Yup. Music to my ears," Gori sighed as Retsuko continued to rock on throughout the night.


	5. Bitter

Chapter Five: Bitter

Today was at last the final one Retsuko would be spending in the mailroom dungeon. She'd miss being on "the inside" about mailing procedure, but that was nothing compared to how she would feel when she was able to sit back in her old desk and see the sunlight as she typed. She missed Fenneko analyzing the latest cell phone gossip. She missed Kabae's random moments of sage advice. Maybe she hadn't quite missed Ton or Komiya's antics, but she was sure that she kind of maybe missed Anai. But most of all, she just missed the comfort of chatting with Haida. He always calmed her down and centered her.

Retsuko smiled and leaned on the contract station's desk. She played with the roll of tape she bought for the customers to use as she waited for Penny to come back out after the latter's bathroom break. Even after all the fuss, Retsuko would like to believe that she would miss Penny, too.

"Retsuko!"

The red panda jumped and immediately reverted into her customer service stance. Leaning on a counter wasn't really a professional way to be found by a customer. Retsuko's shoulders became less rigid and relaxed when she saw who called out to her.

"Hey, Haida."

She didn't particularly know why, but the sight of her friend made her chest ache. She concluded that she may be coming down with a minor cold. That would also explain why her palms had become a little sweaty.

"I got your letter. That bit about food digesting was weird, but cool. Did you hand draw these flowers? They're sweet. Err, sweet as in cool." Haida pulled out the letter Retsuko sent two days prior. He scratched the back of his head as if her were embarrassed. She had written on purple stationary paper and agonized how she would send the envelope. Her customary way of sending envelopes was to doodle tiny flowers around the corners. The problem was, would Haida think those flowers would be lame? Dorky? Despite this, she still sent the flower envelope and even added some roses.

"Yeah. I drew them. Glad you like it." Why couldn't she string her sentence together properly? So what if he liked her flowers. What she had to do was change the subject. Luckily, Haida had seemed to read her thoughts and did so for her.

"When are you coming back upstairs? You know…just because Ton seems to miss you."

"Things must be out of control if Ton is the one missing me."

"Haha, yeah." Haida began scratching the back of his head again.

Now the both of them couldn't look at each other. Their attention bounced off of one wall to another. Not only had Retsuko's palm sweat doubled, but now her back was covered with itches. She felt light headed and could faintly smell something that resembled cologne. The awkward silence only stretched further and further as Retsuko and Haida waited for the other person to break it.

Retsuko opened her mouth—"Haida, I—"

"Oh, hello. Who's this? A customer?" Penny emerged from the back. She must have finished her bathroom break. The small skunk walked up next to Retsuko and cocked her head at Haida.

"Penny, this is Haida. He's my coworker from upstairs." Retsuko nodded at Haida, not knowing if she was relieved that Penny came out or frustrated.

Haida dipped his head only for him to shoot straight back up. His face fell into a shocked expression, and then he beamed a blinding, excited grin that almost blinded Retsuko.

"Penny. Wait. Penny as in Penny Elaine Wagner!?"

The skunk blinked a couple times. She reevaluated the employee until she, too, reacted as Haida (except her smile didn't seem to fit her face.)

"Haida! Oh my gosh! I haven't heard from you in five years! Why haven't you written back or contacted me?" She settled her hands on her hips in mock anger.

"I'm embarrassed to say that I lost your new address." Haida chuckled nervously. "And then when I looked you up, I couldn't find you."

"…oh! That's right! I was married and changed my name." Penny held up a finger, curled her fist, and hit the palm of her hand to emphasize her revelation.

"Married?!"

Penny's face fell.

"Long story. Divorced, can you believe it? I couldn't possibly get into now." Which was not how Penny worked. Haida and Retsuko were subjected to ten minutes of how Penny fell in love with a man in Paris, got married, and found out that the very man she wed to was already married! They heard about Penny's nasty divorce and her journey to find herself throughout Europe until she at last found solace in Japan. Penny covered every painful and aching detail until there was no question of how much she must have suffered. She then abruptly finished. "So, yeah. How about you? Still single?"

"Err, uh. Y-yeah." Haida looked as thought he had been through a tropical storm. Retsuko, who had just been flung into the storm with Haida, felt her heart jump. Why did Penny need to know about Haida's relationship status? More importantly, why did Retsuko care?

"We should go out sometime. Just to catch up," Penny said.

"Sure. That sounds like fun." Haida held out his cell phone to exchange phone numbers with Penny.

Retsuko wasn't sure what was wrong with her. She didn't expect Haida to reject Penny's offer, but she had hoped that he'd at least be a little apprehensive. There was no need jump right into saying "yes" and exchanging numbers. Didn't Haida have the decency to play a little coy? Retsuko folded her arms and was unaware that she was glaring at Haida. The glare-ee took a few steps back under the red panda's searing gaze.

"Well, I have to get back. Nice seeing you, Penny. And Retsuko! I hope you come back soon." He waved and smiled his usual, reliant and cheery smile. The door closed at his back, shielding him from view.

"Cute as always," Penny chuckled. The little skunk left to stock boxes, allowing Retsuko time to digest what happened.

Why did she hurt?


	6. Friends

Chapter Six: Friends

**Dear Haida,**

**I'm happy that we've been exchanging mail. It's been fun looking out for the mail the past two weeks. Although, I haven't got anything from you in a couple days. I miss talking with you.**

_No, no no! I can't write that. I'll sound like I'm rabidly waiting for his letters. That's crazy talk. _Retsuko thought.

Retsuko pulled out another piece of stationary paper, rewrote the beginning portion of her letter, and attempted to write the rest.

**I'm looking forward to a new weird fact. Here's mine for today: **

_**WHY AREN'T YOU WRITING ME BAAAAAAACK?!**_

She shook her head. Why did she think that? There was no reason to expect Haida to write immediately back to her. What they were doing was just for fun. Fun was not tamed by a schedule.

Retsuko's mother sneezed back in the kitchen, reminding her what the fact of the day was.

**Did you know that when you sneeze, your heart temporarily stops beating? Just think of it. Death by sneezes! I hope you're health is well. I've been wearing my coat every day to avoid those death sneezes. See you at work.**

**Your Friend,**

**Retsuko**

Yeah. Much more fitting. We are friends, after all. No need to make this any more personal. Even though I was the one who suggested it, I didn't mean to have anything happen other than strengthening a friendship. Friendships are…good.

Retsuko sealed the sparkly pink envelope and set to work drawing flowers on the front. Thanks to her muddled mind, she accidentally covered the entire envelope with delicate roses and tulips.

"Dang it," she hissed. "Well, what's done is done." She stuck a stamp at the letter's corner and placed the item into her purse so that she could mail it the next day. Retsuko then sauntered over to her bed and snuggled underneath the sheets. She could hear her mother humming gently in the kitchen as she cleaned the dishes and packed lunches.

"Mom?"

"Yes, dear."

"You said that Dad and you fell in love at first sight and that you didn't need an arranged marriage, right?"

"Oh," her mother giggled. She could imagine the older red panda covering her smiling mouth. "You could say that."

"Do you think that l-love could take a while to…develop? Like, maybe five or six years?" She covered her head with the comforter, too embarrassed that she actually said that out loud.

"I'm sure it's possible. Ever hear about best friends becoming items?"

"Yeah?"

"It's unfortunate that most of those relationships end badly. The couple cheats on each other or they even get murdered!"

"Murdered?!"

"But, that's nothing to worry about with you, honey. Once we get you set up with someone, you can cast away all those silly fears."

"Right…" Retsuko rubbed the heels of her palms along her cheeks. The talk with her mother made her stomach feel even more queasy than before. But one thing her mother said was right. There was no need to worry. Haida and her were just friends and nothing else to it.

Or at least that's what she repeated to herself like a mantra the following lunchtime.

Fenneko, Haida, and Retsuko were sitting at their usual table. The light from the floor to ceiling windows struck Haida, making his yes glimmer like a school boy's as he spoke.

"Penny and I went to Akihabara last night. We got the latest merch for a webcam AI." His feet were tapping the ground in excitement, and he was smiling as if he just had one of the best days of his entire life. Retsuko did not know that she was frowning until Haida noticed her murderous expression and gulped. "Err, nothing to do with Enio. This one is just to help budding influencers."

"Are you trying to influence people, Haida?" Retsuko found herself saying rather than brushing off the Enio incident.

"M-me? No. I just like recording." He began scratching the back of his head as his face grew red.

"Recording what?"

"Just some music and stuff like that."

"What else did you do with Penny?" Retsuko's tone darkened, bringing Fenneko out of her cell phone induced trance. The little dog stared at her friend in shock.

"Uh. We just talked." Haida held out his hands as if to show that he was unarmed. "Penny and I wrote to each other after this stupid fifth grade pen pal assignment. She was fun to talk to, and we ended up keeping in touch for years. I can't believe I've been able to catch up with her again." He smiled faintly as if he were to show his true happiness, Retsuko could snap his neck.

Retsuko, instead, snapped out of whatever dark rain cloud she was stuck in. She slapped on her cheerful, happy-go-lucky grin.

"That's good. That's nice. I'm happy."

"Anyway, aren't ya glad that you're back from the dungeon?" Haida ventured.

"Sure."

The rest of their lunch was uneventful as Retsuko and Haida listened to Fenneko's new discovery about Tsunada's phone habits. Retsuko barely heard what her friends were speaking about. She was busy feeling terrible for getting mad with Haida. She shouldn't have lost her temper with him, and was upset that she let herself unravel at the workplace. She prided herself with keeping everything bottled in until she left for the karaoke bar. When happened just then was unacceptable.

Retsuko was still berating herself for her uncalled for behavior when she left for work. She hazily sauntered into the elevator. Haida followed and entered behind her. She nervously pressed the button for the ground floor and hoped that he didn't want to talk. Retsuko was unfamiliar with the inability to talk to her friend, and this made her even more angry with herself. Her silence was clearly bothering Haida. Why couldn't she just talk?

"Retsuko," Haida ventured.

"Hmn?"

"Are you alright? You seem off lately." Haida reached out as if he wanted to pat her shoulder, but pulled back at the last moment. "I don't like seeing you conflicted like this."

The elevator made it to the ground floor and the doors opened. People filtered into the tiny contraption and Haida and Retsuko had no choice but to vacate. Retsuko brushed off invisible dust from her skirt and opened her mouth to answer.

"Haida, why haven't you—"

"Haida! Wait up!" Someone shouted.

Haida jumped and turned to look behind him.

"Oh. Hey, Penny. What can I do for you?" His voice cracked and he cleared his throat.

"I…" The skunk worried at her hands. Her face was covered in a deep red blush that reached her ears. She was being uncharacteristically adorable. Her fur seemed soft and well groomed. She wore a cute purple sundress with a straw sunhat. Her big brown eyes glistened with joy. "Haida, will you please go out with me?"

"UH!" Haida fell back against the wall as if he was blown over by a gust of violent wind. "What?!"

"Just like I asked. I've really liked you for a long time. I want to go out on a date. Please go out with me," Penny said very slowly to drive home each point.

Haida gulped and looked at Retsuko.

Retsuko, with as much grace and poise as she could muster, smiled politely and bowed.

"Oh. Don't let me hold you two up. Excuse me."

Retsuko waved, turned, and left. She made sure not to listen to their ensuing conversation.

*Later That Night*

"She's really belting her heart out today. Do you think she's feeling alright?" Gori asked Washimi. The older woman's eardrums were nearly blown out, and so she plugged them with some of the napkin that used to be at the bottom of her drink glass.

Washimi stared at Retsuko, who true to form, was screaming at the top of her lungs until the white markings on her face turned a beet red.

"Hmn," Washimi said.

Retsuko pointed at her friend with a clawed fingertip.

**I TOLD YOU NOT TO 'HMNN' MMMEEEEEEEE!**


	7. A Chat

Chapter Seven: A Chat

"Why are you hiding in here?"

Retsuko groaned and buried her face into the crook of her arm. It had been two days since Penny asked Haida out on a date, and Retsuko had done everything she could to avoid him. She stopped eating lunch at the break room and began eating in the document storage area. This sued to be her haven until Anai came barging in that one day a while back, and for Tsunada. Retsuko did not want to see the cutesy, perfect little deer right then and there. What she wanted to do was crawl back into bed and never came back out.

Retsuko felt sick. Terribly sick. She didn't know how to get better.

Tsunada trundled over to where Retsuko sat curled into a ball next to a box labeled "to be recycled." The deer plopped down next to her and straightened her pink dress.

"I'm not hiding," Retsuko said. "I'm moping. There's a difference."

"Fine. Have it your way. Why are you moping?"

"Because my emotions are an irrational dumpster fire."

"That would do it." Tsunada closed her eyes and nodded as if she had gone through the exact same thing as Retsuko. Somehow, Tsunada didn't seem like the person to have suffered too many hardships to earn herself that companionable empathy. All the same, Retsuko was a little curious.

"Why are you here, Tsunada. This is where I usually go calm down."

"It's exactly why I'm here. Anai told me he found you here before. Scootch." Tsunada scooted closer to Retsuko and held up her signature cell phone. "Now smile." The deer snapped a picture as easily as if it were breathing and began typing away on the bright screen.

"Hey!" Retsuko wiped at her eyes. She obviously did not have time to smile and most likely came out as comically confused on the final picture product.

"What's the problem! Maybe I can help," Tsunada said as she continued on her merry way. She was probably posting the picture up in the hopes of getting more likes because of Retsuko's association with Tadano.

"Why are you bothering?" The red panda huffed. She couldn't imagine Tsunada could have any sage advice that she hadn't already heard.

"Don't be like that. We're friends. Of a sort." The deer waved her hand nonchalantly.

Retsuko pondered the offer. Tsunada wasn't one to give something without getting something in return. What would talking out her fears and anger cost? It certainly wouldn't feel bad to let out all the concerns she had to someone who wasn't her mother. Besides, the worst Tsunada could do was take a picture without her permission and post it to social media—and that already happened. What else could Retsuko lose?

"Fine," she said. Retsuko decided to trust Tsunada and go for it. "Before I went out with Tadano, Haida confessed to me."

"Duh. Guy's head over heels." Tsunada rolled her eyes. Retsuko's belly squeezed. Was it really that obvious that Haida liked her? That she was too late?

"B-but I turned him down." She bit her lip, not sure how to continue the conversation. She thought about how Penny and Haida would make a really cute couple. They had a lot in common and a past that went beyond work history. "And now that he's seeing Penny from the mailroom, I don't think that I have the right to be feeling anything about it."

"He's seeing Penny from the mailroom?" Tsunada squeaked as if ready to spread the gossip. She cleared her throat. "I mean. I see."

"He was always supportive of everything I've done. He's always had my back. Now when it's my turn, I want to let him fall." Retsuko examined her hands. She clenched and unclenched her fists. She frowned and crossed her arms.

"Oh, I see. You're angry that he might not devote himself to you anymore." Tsunada tsked. She sent something on her phone and opened another app.

"What? No!" Retsuko stood up. She was furious that Tsunada could even suggest something so callous. Retsuko was definitely not angry that her safety net was no longer available. That he'd no longer be there to smile at her when she tripped and fell. That he'd be somebody else's support and not hers. Retsuko snipped and sat down, defeated. "…maybe."

Tsunada shook her phone a little to indicate that she accepted Retsuko's answer.

"Retsuko, listen. There won't always be that person there to pick you up when you fall. Haida doesn't deserve to be the back up. He deserves to be the first-up. You have to buck it up and let him move on. He's not your devoted, asexual butler."

"Butler?"

"Ignore that. I just got a little carried away."

Tsunada did make a point. If Retsuko had gone on as usual, she would have expected Haida to keep her upright for the rest of her career. Now that he was gone, she knew that it wasn't fair to sentence him to that fate. Hindsight was a bitch.

If Penny wasn't now a factor, Retsuko wouldn't have re-evaluated Haida and her's entire relationship. She would have had to make him her first priority. Now that she knew what Haida meant to her, she would have been happy to do that.

But it was too late now. And what right did she have to take away his new relationship where he was somebody's first?

"Surprisingly, that did help." Retsuko nudged Tsunada's shoulder with her own. "Thank you, Tsunada."

"Anytime. Hope you don't mind, but I tagged you in this photo."

Just as Retsuko thought.

"For the likes?"

"Girl, it's always for the likes."

Tsunada got up and waved goodbye. She left Retsuko to think a little bit more on the matter.

Haida can do what he wants. I can't keep him on a leash. He's too good a person for that. Thank you, Tsunada. But why does it feel like I'm losing something important? Like if I let him go…it's for good?


	8. Just Sing

Chapter Eight: Just Sing

"Do you ever feel like anything we do will ultimately end up meaning nothing in the end?" Retsuko continued to rest her head on the cool drink table. Her eyes were unfocused as she doodled in the condensation encircling her spiked iced green tea.

Washimi and Gori fidgeted and stared at one another. They both thought about Retsuko's encounter with Penny and the skunk's bleak outlook on life. They hoped that Retsuko hadn't absorbed the ideas and life style as the mailroom manager.

"Umm, are you okay? Do you need protein?" Gori ventured.

"I mean, what are people like myself going to do to change the world? Tadano is smart. He'll be remembered in history books. The way things are going, I won't even get a husband or kids to pass down my fleeting ventures." Retsuko sighed and closed her eyes. The microphone and music order pad was untouched on the table next to here.

Gori huffed and snatched the microphone. She held it up to her embittered friend, waving the device close to her nose like a piece of mouth watering sushi.

"Okay, I don't like this. Here. Sing something. Let the world hear your mountain cries! _Shingeki no Kyojin_ that microphone to pieces!" Gori poorly mimicked Retsuko's gravely metal roar.

"I can't muster up the gumption. I'm going to go, guys." Retsuko stood up and gathered her items.

"Very well. Let us know if you need anything." Washimi crossed her legs and watched her friend open the door to leave. She placed a feathered hand on Gori's shoulder to keep the older woman from moving and disturbing Retsuko's retreat.

"Will do." Retsuko waved and left her friends in the room behind her. She just didn't have it in her to scream and rage. She was just tired. The red panda passed a couple rooms, focusing on the floor and her feet as she moved. She almost didn't catch the notes of a punk rock ballad as they filtered out from a room.

"Huh?"

Retsuko peered around a corner and saw that one of the rooms down the hallway wasn't completely closed. She instinctively knew that she should just turn around and leave. The occupants of that room would realize that the door wasn't closed and would fix their mistake soon enough. It was either that or an attendant would come to close the door. With her mind made up, she took one step to leave.

But then she heard the hard punctuation of a song filter out from the room.

_"Is it time for me to realize that I'm only hurting myself? _

_Five years of loving one person can't go away in one week. _

_When I think about her, I'm proud to know that she's out in the world. _

_I know that she is strong, and that's what's keeps me moving on. I'm sorry, but I won't let that go. _

_I'm sorry, but you can't make me let it go."_

Retsuko was unable to move. That song, the one instilled with so much pain and determination, was sung by someone she had come to cherish. He sang that song brilliantly and sounded just like a punk rock star straight from the 90's. His style completely clashed with hers. He was quiet and pining. She was loud and abrasive. And yet each of their music expressed who they were in their purest form. Retsuko knew that now.

She had to talk with Haida. The question was, how? Was he in there with Penny?

"Wow. That was…" Came a voice Retsuko knew was Penny's. Well, that answered her question. Retsuko reflexively clenched her fists. What did Penny think of that haunting song?

"That was so sappy! And, that wasn't for me. Is this your way of rejecting me?" Penny asked. There were the faint sounds of someone moving around from behind the door.

"That was the only way I can think of?" Came Haida's familiar voice that cracked in the middle of his sentence.

"Heh, fine. I can't push it if you put your heart so much into that one person," Penny sighed.

"I'm sorry," Haida replied dejectedly.

"Don't be. I'll be fine." Penny suddenly opened the door to the karaoke room. She was still facing what Retsuko assumed to be Haida. Retsuko hid behind the wall and desperately hoped that Penny hadn't seen her.

"Oh."

Retsuko's shoulders slumped. She knew that if she opened her eyes, which she had closed in the silly notion that if she couldn't see the situation then the situation couldn't see her, and saw Penny staring directly at her. The skunk was a little confused. Her eyebrows crinkled together and she adjusted her purple glasses that had fallen down the bridge of her nose. Then, a wicked grin spread from one side of her face to the other. She inhaled and then called out.

"OH, IF IT ISN'T RETSUKO! FANCY MEETING YOU HERE."

"Hi, Penny," Retsuko said to keep from grinding her teeth in frustration. She wanted to talk to Haida, but not after being discovered. It was so uncool to be caught, and now it seemed like she was intentionally seeking Haida out like some jealous git. Maybe she could leave without getting Haida involved. She could try talking to him later. Yeah, that's right.

"Retsuko?!" Haida joined Penny. He was scratching the back of his head and his face was flushed red. Retsuko's heart jumped at the sight of him, and she felt as though she was falling down a tall mountain only to be caught in mid air. It was far too late to retreat now.

Penny looked at Haida to Retsuko and then back to Haida. She smirked, a little sad but resigned, and shrugged.

"I'll leave you two to it. Ciao." Penny brushed past the Haida and Retsuko, who were still staring at each other as if they were stuck in some sort of time warp. "I know when I'm beat." And with that, Penny was gone.

"Fancy meeting you here," Retsuko said. She had to act natural, but her voice had sounded the

amost unnatural she'd ever been. She could feel sweat running down the right side of her face. Her palms were itchy.

Haida was not fairing any better.

"I, umm, came here because I remember taking Tadano a while back. I thought it would be a good choice." He began looking anywhere but at Retsuko. The floor, the walls, the ceiling. He was just as nervous as she was, maybe even more so.

"It is," she managed to say.

"Did you, err, by chance hear anything from the talk Peggy and I were having?" He laughed as if to brush off what he sang, and somehow, his dismissal of his song irked her. That music was pure and from the heart. He belted out those notes directly from his deepest thoughts, wants, and needs. To deny that song was to deny what he felt, and he was doing it for her. He still thought that she was not interested in him and, even knowing that, he was putting her needs before his. He was trying to be a good friend. Well, it was about time he was the top priority.

Retsuko had decided.

"Let's get back in the room." She took Haida's hand and walked back into the room Haida and Penny had previously shared. She made sure to completely shut the door. Retsuko took Haida over to a seat and directed him to sit down. His face was one entire tone of blush.

"Look, Retsuko, I-I-I haven't had a c-chance to write a-anything back. I just n-need a stamp and…are you going to sing?"

"Something like that."

Retsuko had grabbed the microphone and was instantly calmed. The weight and familiarity of the device only instilled with in her the confidence she needed. She grabbed the ordering pad for the background music that would frame the song she was going to sing.

"Did you need something to drink beforehand?" Haida offered.

"Nope. Just listen."

A metal guitar rift cut through the air and thrummed around Retsuko. She settled down and took her stance, ready to lift all of her feelings and concerns into musical roars.

**I'M SORRY THAT MY EYES WERE SHUT!**

**NEVER THOUGHT TO LOOK BEHIND,**

**AND SEE WHO ALWAYS PICKED ME UP**

**WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS BEING KIND.**

**I WANT TO START OVER!**

**I WANT TO REBOOT!**

**THIS IS WHO I AM!**

**PLEASE SEE ME AS I AM!**

The music stopped and Retsuko collapsed onto a chair. She didn't want to see Haida's face. Not just yet. She always used karaoke as a method to break up with her boyfriends. One was too startled to see her rage. The other couldn't keep up with her dreams. Would Haida be ashamed of his crush on her after seeing this? Retsuko stared down at her knees and saw that her hands were trembling. Somehow, what Haida did next mattered more to her than her previous boyfriends.

Clapping. Haida was clapping.

Retsuko's head shot up and she saw Haida clapping. He stood as if to ask for an encore. There was nothing in his demeanor that suggested that he disliked any part of her performance or the meaning behind it.

"You…you're not surprised?"

Haida shook his head.

"No."

"Eh? Why not?"

"Remember that company dinner a while back? I thought that you were performing a rap battle with Mr. Ton, but I was too drunk to really get a handle on that night."

"I see." She glanced to her side. She was still shocked that she had gone that far with Ton, and once more, surprised that everyone was drunk enough to forget all that happened.

"And then when we came here for Tadano, well, I could hear you."

"Oh." That was right. He was standing outside. She wondered how he could have heard her from outside and through the closed karaoke door. The mechanics didn't really matter at the moment thought. What did matter was how Haida was looking at her as if she were the only person on the planet that mattered. She wasn't used to being in the center of a stare so passionate, not even when she was with Tadano.

"And you want to know what I think?"

"You don't have to…"

"I think you're still amazing as the first day I saw you. Even more."

"You…do?"

"And I don't mind starting over."

Haida walked over to where Retsuko sat and bowed.

"Ehem. Hello. My name is Haida. I work a mediocre job, but it pays the bills. I like punk rock, messing with gadgets, and spending time with friends. I espcially love sending letters to the person I like the most."

"Oh!"

Retsuko hopped up to her feet and bowed just like Haida.

"I'm Retsuko. I also work a mediocre job. I'm good at it."

"And are dependable," Haida whispered as he still bowed.

"Yes, that," Retsuko chuckled. "I love death metal, messing with my phone, and spending time with friends. I love receiving letters from the person I like the most, and my dream is to get happily married."

They both straightened, and smiled at one another.

"You have a warm dream," Haida said. And he meant it. She could tell that he meant every word he said, every glance he gave, and every gesture he made.

He was in love with her, and she was falling in love with him.

Baby steps, but steps non-the-less.

"So…well…did you want to…" Retsuko stuttered.

"You want to get something to drink?" Haida took over. He held out his hand and Retsuko took it without hesitation.

"Yes!"

**THE END**


	9. Extra One: Tape

Extra One: Tape

_Based on Real Mailroom Experience_

"I can't believe I have to cover for Penny," Retsuko grumbled from behind the familiar contract station dungeon desk. "Did she really have to get sick? Of course I'm the only one who can make up her work." Retsuko sighed and pulled out a sheet of paper to doodle.

When there wasn't anything to sort in the mailroom, the only other form of work was to restock materials. She had already done that and then some. She reordered stock, reorganized the packaging boxes, and cleaned every surface she could find. Now there was nothing else to do but wait for customers and daydream, and when she daydreamed, she couldn't help but think of a certain someone and their very first date.

"Ehem!"

"Eek!" Retsuko startled out of her vivid imagination and looked up. A customer had somehow gained the ability to become a ninja and sneak past Retsuko's defenses. She never knew how some customer could just appear right in front of her like that.

"Goodness, I'm sorry, Ma'am." Retsuko bowed slightly to indicate her apology. "What can I do for you today?"

The old crocodile scented at the counter behind half moon spectacles. Retsuko followed the old woman's scrutiny of the counter and found that, in her pink hearted daze, that she had drawn a Harlequin Romance version of Haida with hearts sprinkled around the corners of the page.

"Eep!" Retsuko snatched the page and threw it into the recycling. "Someone gave that to me…"

"Yes, dear." The crocodile nodded solemnly. "I would like to have this sent out today." The woman placed a purse on the counter."

"Oh, you can use the boxes we have provided for you."

"How do they fold up?"

"Like…like boxes."

"Like this?" The crocodile woman had grabbed a box and, instead of opening the item along the lines, tore of the flaps that would have been the box's top.

"Err, no. Not like that."

"Like this?" The woman tried again, but instead of tearing off the top, she tore off the bottom.

"N-No. Here, let me." With practiced hands, Retsuko had the box ready in no time. She handed the crocodile woman the tape dispenser to tape her box closed. "You can use this when your finished packing up."

One of the prime rules of a postal associate was to never package someone else's item. If the item was broken into or lost, then the customer could claim that the associate did the packing incorrect. Ton told her this when she bought the contract station packing tape, and there was no way she was getting in trouble on that front.

"Um, how do I use this tape dispenser?" The woman asked.

Inside, Retsuko thought—_that dispense isn't any different from any other design. Have you never wrapped presents? What's so difficult about pulling the tape out and using the metal edge? It's not rocket science._

Outside, Retsuko said, "Just pull the tape and cut it with the metal part."

To Retsuko's horror, she watch as a grown, older woman struggled with the tape dispense. She grunted and groaned as she were conducting a fight for her life. There was tape everywhere. On the woman's elbows, on her face, around her arms, and scattered to the floor into little balls.

"Oh, honey. This technology is too advanced for me," moaned the crocodile. "Please, help me."

**WHAT DO YOU MEAN, TECHNOLOGY?**

**THERE'S LITERALLY NOTHING TECHNICAL ABOUT IT!**

**WHY AM I HERE ON THIS EARTH TO WITNESS THE DEGRADATION OF EFFORT?**

**PLEASE, SOMEONE SAVE MY SOOUUULLL!**

Retsuko really wanted a microphone, but settle for the song blaring inside of her head.

"I can untangle you, but I'm unfortunately not allowed to package the item for you. It's against the policy."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were working!"

The corner of Retsuko's mouth twitched. She could feel her entire tiny body vibrating with adrenaline and rage. If this lady didn't leave now, Retsuko would get fired from telling here what was what. Maybe even turn her into a purse. Yeah. That sounded like a great idea. To hell with this job, anyway!

"Here, I've got ya."

"Oh! Thank you, young man. This tape is just too difficult to understand."

"I'm sure it is, Ma'am," Haida said while giving the woman his winning smile.

Haida to the rescue!

Retsuko's temper slowly settled to an even simmer as she watched Haida help untangle the customer and show her how to better use the tape. The customer then paid for the postage and Retsuko placed the package into the bin for outgoing mail.

"You saved me back there, Haida," Retsuko admitted.

"It wasn't anything much," Haida said. He scratched the back of his head, but eh couldn't cover up his blush. "Anyway, I came down to see if I could have my lunch down here with you."

"Of course I'd want to eat lunch with my hero!"

"D-don't put it l-like that. It was just t-tape!"

"Not just any, tape, Haida. Not just any tape."


End file.
